Macon, GA Meeting Planning Overview

Welcome to our Macon meeting planning guide – a Macon, GA city guide for meeting planners. Nicknamed the "Where Soul Lives" Macon is the third largest city in the state and is a heady amalgam of American history, from pre-Colonial to Civil War to rock 'n 'roll. Nowhere else can you host a reception at the former home of the famed Allman Brothers Band, a banquet at the largest state sports museum in the U.S. or a conference at one of the most advanced antebellum buildings in the country. But it is possible in Macon, which offers more than 10 meeting facilities and 51 hotels with meeting space.

Situated at the juncture of I-75 and I-16, Macon is easily accessible to travelers coming from any direction. Both ground and air shuttle service is available from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is about 85 miles to the north.

At the center of Macon's meeting facilities is the Macon Centreplex, which encompasses the Wilson Convention Centre and Macon Coliseum (110,000 square feet under one roof), and the nearby Macon City Auditorium. Overall, the Centreplex has more than 140,000 square feet of space and seating for up to 9,250 guests spread across these three Macon event venues . Plus, the adjacent 220-room Macon Marriott City Center hotel has an additional 5,000 square feet of event space.

Other large meeting facilities in Macon include the Anderson Conference Center, conveniently located near I-475, with 20,000 square feet of space and a variety of room set-up options. Many of Macon's colleges also feature sizable spaces for sporting and special events. The University Center Arena at Mercer University can seat over 4,000 guests, while Wesleyan College has dining rooms, auditoriums, conference rooms and more for groups of 50 to over 1,000 people.

Macon's historic homes, museums and entertainment attractions are great options for less traditional meeting spaces. Available for banquets and receptions, Hay House embodies Southern elegance with its 18th-century furnishings, Italian marble fireplaces, 24-karat gold leafing and stained glass. The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame can put some action into any company event or banquet and has several rooms for private events. Additionally, the 1,000-seat Grand Opera House offers both elegant decor and modern audio-visual technology, ideal for seminars and presentations. There's nothing quite like wrapping up a presentation in the theater by raising the curtain to unveil a full-scale banquet set up on the stage, where attendees can dine looking out on the historic opera house's grandeur.

About Macon, GA / Additional Info

Located near the geographic center of Georgia, Macon is rich in Southern history that dates back thousands of years. The city has been home to the agricultural fields of ancient cultures, a military fort during the War of 1812 and the Creek War, a thriving cotton industry, a Civil War arsenal, a state transportation hub and more. It's no surprise that a city with such a remarkable past is now home to 5,500 National Register historic structures and 11 historic districts.

Visitors to Macon can immerse themselves in the city's past as easily as they can step out onto the streets. Macon's avenues and thoroughfares feature beautiful homes, many known not just for their historic architecture but also for their famed residents. The Sidney Lanier Cottage is an 1840 Victorian-style cottage that was the birthplace of poet and musician Sidney Lanier. The Woodruff House and Cannonball House are stunning Greek Revival mansions, the former owned by one of the South's wealthiest cotton planters Joseph Bond. For a piece of Macon's modern-day history, visit the Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House, a Tudor-style home that was the hub of the band's activities during the 70s.

Macon's diverse heritage is also evident through its museums and theaters. The Tubman African American Museum explores African-American art, history and culture through a variety of exhibits and artwork collections. As the largest state sports museum in the country, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, features artifacts and exhibits from a range of sports and levels and honors more than 300 inductees. The Grand Opera House, Cox Capitol Theatre and Douglass Theatre are among the many decades-old performance locations that have been restored to their original grandeur and serve to entertain Macon guests with performances, comedy acts, movies and more.

A visit to Macon is not all about history. The city has plenty of recreational, shopping and dining options to enjoy as well. Golf clubs and biking trails are scattered throughout the city, while, just outside the city limits, Lake Tobesofkee has three parks and two sandy beaches that make for a perfect backdrop to swimming, fishing, camping, boating and disc golf. Guests can also get exercise indoors at one of Macon's many malls, boutiques and antiques galleries. Bargain hunters enjoy Smiley's Flea Market, or "Middle Georgia's largest yard sale," that has hundreds of sellers and even a waterslide during the summer.

Meeting Planning in Macon, GA

Anderson Conference Center

The Anderson Conference Center is a contemporary conference facility that features more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space including a large Atrium Banquet Hall, which can accommodate up to 1,000 people, and five breakout conference rooms.

The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, and Edgar’s Catering offers an exceptional dining experience with menus to fit your needs and budget. The Anderson Conference Center team can create a personalized experience for you and your guests that is unmatched in the area. The center is conveniently located in the heart of Georgia, easily accessible from I-475, I-75 and I-16, with ample free parking.

The largest entertainment facility and convention complex outside of the metro Atlanta area, the Macon Centreplex accommodates a wide range of events, from sporting events to conferences and meetings. The Centreplex has over 140,000 square feet of space and seating for up to 9,250 guests spread across three main meeting venues.

The largest space, the 102,000-square-foot Edgar H. Wilson Convention Centre features a 30,800-square-foot exhibit hall, divisible into two spaces, a ballroom and 13 meeting rooms and is regularly used for large and small conventions, business meetings, seminars, consumer shows, receptions and more. Under the same roof, the 9,252-seat Macon Coliseum has hosted basketball games, ice shows and concerts by the likes of Elvis and Reba McEntire. The Coliseum features a 60-foot-by-40-foot stage, new sound system and an adjoining 7,068-square-foot meeting/banquet room.

Finally, a few blocks away, the 2,688-seat Macon City Auditorium, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, can accommodate exhibits in need of 14,000 square feet of floor space or banquets of over 1,000 people.

The Macon Marriott City Center hotel also sits adjacent to the Wilson Convention Centre and Macon Coliseum. The 220-room hotel provides an additional 5,000 square feet of meeting space.

In addition to its extensive venue options and floor plans, the Macon Centreplex offers first-class service to its meeting planners and guests. Event coordination, audio-visual, banquet catering, marketing and promotions and security are among the services offered. The Edgar H. Wilson Convention Centre also has a full-service business center.

Macon, GA Airport Information

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

Approximate taxi fare: $190.00 USD

Shuttle: $72 USD roundtrip

The Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is roughly an hour-and-a-half drive from downtown Macon via rental car or Groome Transportation's hourly shuttle service. A major connecting hub for destinations around the globe, the airport has been named the busiest passenger airport in the world since 1998. It sees an average of 240,000 passengers a day and almost 2,700 arrivals and departures daily. Serving 151 U.S. destinations and more than 80 international destinations, the airport features 171 domestic and 28 international gates.

The gleaming, light-filled, 5.8-million-square-foot airport is comprised of a North and South Terminal, with a large atrium featuring seating areas and more than 260 food, retail and convenience outlets. The airport is currently in the process of adding 75 more concessions, including spas, wine bars and high-end retailers. The Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport also features a 24,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Executive Conference Center, offering 23 meeting rooms, video conferencing abilities, computer workstations and full-service catering. Airport visitors can access terminal-wide wireless Internet for a fee. Not only accessible and efficient, the airport is also known for its remarkable art collection, which includes a permanent exhibition of contemporary Zimbabwean sculpture.

Always striving to expand its capacity and improve efficiency, the airport is in the midst of a $6 billion-plus Capital Improvement Program designed to meet projected growth and travel demand, reduce flight delays, increase capacity and improve customer service. Completed projects under the program include hold baggage screening rooms, a fifth runway, a rental car center and the ATL SkyTrain automated people mover. The new Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal was completed in 2012.

Middle Georgia Regional Airport (MCN)

Approximate taxi fare: $36.00 USD

The airport offers free parking and free wifi. Lowe Aviation is located on site and offers a variety of services for private and charter planes. Middle Georgia Regional Airport is just 10 miles from downtown Macon.

Macon, GA Public Transportation

Macon-Bibb County Transit Authority (MTA)

The MTA runs several color-coded routes through Macon-Bibb County, with a number of stops at key downtown Macon shopping centers and places of interest. Buses depart from the Terminal Station on Cherry Street Monday through Saturday from 5:30 AM to 11 PM. Regular one-way fare is $1.25. Adult ride passes can be purchased for $10 for 10 rides or for $20 for 20 rides.

Rental Cars

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is served by 13 rental car agencies. The ATL SkyTrain connects customers to the airport's expansive rental car center, opened in 2009.